WOSR 2024: More women in tech, but intersectionality still lags, warns Tech Talent Charter CEO

Blake’s path into the tech industry was anything but straightforward. She began her professional journey as an English teacher in the 1990s, a time when simply being tech-savvy as an educator could quickly lead to managing school IT systems.

“If you were a teacher in the 90s who used a computer, you became in charge of it,” she recalls.

This early exposure to technology sparked a passion, eventually leading Blake to roles of increasing responsibility, including headteacher. It was there that she recognised the “profound impact of technology on young minds".

Her journey later took her to a not-for-profit organisation called Apps for Good.

The programme taught young people, some as young as nine or 10, how to code, build apps, and develop entrepreneurial skills. Remarkably, 50% of the participants were girls, and 40% of the tech industry volunteers involved were women.

These figures challenged the traditional statistics on tech’s gender gap.

“We saw young girls and women engaging in tech and thriving, but I began asking a bigger question: why aren’t there more women in tech, and why are so many underrepresented groups absent from the sector?”

By 2016, Blake had grown frustrated with the same conversations and “endless roundtables” about the lack of women in tech.

“We knew the reasons why. Companies were wasting time and money reinventing the wheel, and I was tired of it,” she explains.

This dissatisfaction led to the launch of the Tech Talent Charter in 2017. Blake, its first CEO, describes its creation as “either a moment of madness or genius".

Starting with just 17 companies, the Charter grew into a coalition of over 800 organisations, including prominent names like the BBC, HP and Lloyds Bank. While its primary focus was on the tech sector, it also attracted organisations from finance and media, industries with significant tech workforces.

The Charter emphasised a broad approach to inclusion, addressing not just gender, but also ethnicity, disability, social mobility and economic background.

“We required companies to share their data, and if they didn’t comply, we removed them. Every year, 10–15% of companies were excluded for non-compliance. It wasn’t about ticking boxes; it was about driving real change,” Blake states.

However, in June last year, Blake and her business partner, Debbie Forster (the COO), made the difficult decision to shut down the organisation.

“Companies were using us as a fig leaf without making genuine efforts. Many were more interested in producing reports than enacting meaningful change,” she reveals.

Although the Charter no longer operates as an organisation, Blake and her team transitioned its resources into a microsite, offering free access to best practices, reports and tools for companies keen to continue the work.

“We’ve given the industry a base camp, but it’s up to them to climb the mountain,” she says.

While the tech industry has made strides in recruiting women, Blake acknowledges that there is still much to do.

“We’re seeing more women enter tech, but intersectionality is still missing. Companies focus too much on mentoring women, without recognising that what we really need is sponsorship and advocacy,” she says.

One of her biggest concerns is the rollback of flexible working conditions, which became widespread during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Some companies are reverting to old practices, disproportionately affecting women, particularly those with families. Gen Z and Millennials won’t tolerate that, they value inclusive workplaces and flexibility. As they move into leadership roles, they will shape future practices,” she predicts.

Looking ahead, Blake argues that as the tech sector faces an acute skills shortage, companies must prioritise diversity and flexibility to attract and retain talent.

“A mobile, adaptable workforce will remember which companies supported inclusive practices and will gravitate towards those environments,” she concludes.

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